Starting control system for automobile engines



@ T9 i935 J. P. GERAGHTY Epmpw STARTING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES Filed March 51, 1935 .Tm 1.1m www* 29 19 Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES STARTING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES John P. Geraghty, Jersey City, N. J.; John G. Fla-nigan executor of said John P. Geraghty,

deceased Application March 31, 1933, Serial No. 663,816

iy Claims.

My invention relates to a starting control system for automobile engines and has for its purpose the provision of a system of the type specied which will effectively prevent the starting motor of an automobile being cut in so long as the engine has any operating movement, but which will automatically place the starting motor in circuit immediately following the complete stoppage of the engine and then automatically cut out the starting motor as soon as the running status of the engine is reestablished.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a starting control system wherein the gaseous pressure status existing on one side of the engine and the usual electrical generator constitute essential elements for the functioning thereof, the arrangement being such however that upon the failure of either of these elements, while the engine is running, a status of the system essential to maintaining the starting motor cut out will be preserved.

Furthermore my invention contemplates the inclusion in the system of means effective to prevent variation in the aforesaid gaseous pressure status, While the engine is running from causing any closure, momentary or prolonged, of the starting motor circuit.

In addition my invention also contemplates an improved control switch for incorporation in the system, the construction of said switch constituting an important factor in rendering my system reliable and certain in operation, not only in automatically cutting the starting motor in and out but also in maintaining the starting motor circuit open momentarily after engine has failed and in maintaining said circuit open, While the engine is running, upon the failure of the generator or gaseous pressure status.

My invention also contemplates an assembly Which Will enable a manually controlled starting system to be easily and economically converted into an automatically controlled starting system with a minimum of wiring and parts in addition to that which is common to all electric systems of automobiles.

In the drawing chosen to illustrate my invention the scope whereof is set forth in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through an assembly employed in my invention and disclosing the control switch and the magnetic switch whose coil is in a circuit having the generator as its source, both switches being shown in their normal or circuit closing status;

Figure 2, a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure Li, a diagrammatic View of my complete system with the various elements in the positions they would occupy when the associated engine has 5 completely stopped and at the instant the starting motor circuit has been cut in.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3 the assembly illustrated therein comprises a housing A of insulating material, preferably phenol condensa- 10 tion product. This housing is shaped to provide parallel chambers l@ and II opening through opposite ends of the housing respectively. Mounted in the chamber lil is a magnetic switch which includes a coil I2 and a pivoted armature I3 norl5 mally held in the position shown in Figure 1 by a spring le, said position being positively determined by a contact I 5 associated with a binding post I6 mounted on the housing A. The armature I3 is also electrically connected by a con- 20 ductor l1 with a binding post I8, which latter is located on the opposite side of the housing A from the binding post l t. The open end of, the chamber II is closed by a threaded plug I9 having a passage 2li therein one end of which communi- 25 cates with the chamber II and its other with the atmosphere. This passage 2l) is controlled by a screw valve ZI mounted in the plug I9 and for a purpose that will hereinafter appear. Formed in the housing A at the end thereof remote from 30 the plug i9 is another passage 22 having a tube 23 engaged in the outer end thereof, while the inner end of said passage 22 communicates with the chamber il.. An outwardly opening check valve 25 controls the passage 22. The tube 22 eX- 35 tends across the chamber II) and through the housing for connection with the vacuum tank 25 (Figure 4). Mounted for reciprocation in the chamber II is a cylindrical switch body 26 of insulating material which is normally held in the 40 position shown in Figures l and 3 by a spring 21 reacting from the end wall of the chamber II which is nearest the passage 22. The body 26 carries spaced contact bands 28 and 29 the former of which is considerably wider than the latter. 45 When the body 2li is in the positionY shown in Figure 3 the band 2t is engaged by oppositely disposed spring contacts 3@ and 3I associated respectively with binding posts 32 and 33 and at the same time the band 29 is engaged by oppositely 50 disposed spring contacts 34 and 35 associated respectively with binding posts 36 and 31. In the assembly described binding posts I8 and 31 are connected by a conductor 38.

My starting control system is completely shown 55 in Figure 4 and comprises the battery B, vacuum tank 25, main circuit switch 38, magnetic switch coil I2 and its armature I3, a control switch as heretofore described and shown in Figure 3, a generator 40, a starting motor 4I, and a starting motor switch including a coil 42 and armature 43. My system includes a starting motor circuit, a starting motor switch coil circuit and a generator control circuit all of which are automatically controlled in a manner that will hereinafter appear. The starting motor circuit leads from battery B through conductor 44, contact 45, armature 43, contact 46, conductor 41, motor 4I and thence to ground through conductor 48. The starting motor switch coil circuit leads from battery B, through conductor 49, switch 39, conductor 5t, contact I5, armature I3, conductor I1, binding post I8, conductor 38, contact 31, contact band 29, contact 36 and thence through conductor 5I to ground, said conductor 5I including the coil of the starting motor switch. The generator control circuit leads from generator 40 through conductor 52, contact 32, band 28, contact 33, conductor 53, coil I2 and thence through conductor 54 to ground. The generator 43 is also electrically connected to the battery B through conductor 55 and conductor 49, the conductor 55 including an automatic circuit breaker 5G as is usual. The battery B is grounded through conductor 51.

In Figure 4 the status of the system is that established when the engine has completely stopped and the switch 39 closed. In this status it will be apparent that the generator 4I] is inactive and the coil I2 therefore deenergized so that the spring I4 has moved the armature I3 into engagement with the contact I5, thus closing the starting motor circuit and instituting the operation of the starting motor 4I. During the operation of the starting motor 4I the engine turns very slowly and insuflicient current is produced by the generator 40 to cause the magnet associated with the coil I2 to attract armature I3 and break the starting motor switch coil circuit. However, when the engine starts to run in a normal manner the current from the generator is increased so as to cause the magnet core associated with the coil I2 to attract armature I3 and break the starting motor switch coil circuit. Furthermore, when the engine starts to run a vacuum forms in the tank 25 and in the end of the chamber II adjacent the spring 21 thus establishing a dilerential pressure on the ends of the control switch body 26 which results in the latter moving to the left in Figure 3 against the influence of spring 21. This movement of the body 26 causes the successive breaking of the starting motor control switch cir cuit and the generator control circuit owing to the difference in width of the bands 28 and 29 and the location of the point of engagement of the contacts 32 and 33 with band 28 before the body 26 begins to move under the influence of the formation of a vacuum in tank 25. With this dual means of breaking the starting motor control circuit my system assures the positive automatic breaking of said circuit in the event of the failure of either the vacuum or generator while the engine is running. In the event the generator fails, the system and the ignition of the engine are operated entirely on the battery B. However, this condition will immediately become apparent due to the indication on the usual ammeter employed on automobiles that the battery B is discharging. Should the engine stall at any time, the body 26 will, owing to the consequent failure of generator current and vacuum, move to the right to the position shown in Figure 3. How`- ever, I retard or slow down this movement through the instrumentality oi the passage PB and Valve 2l which restrict the escape oi air Vfrom the adjacent end of the chamber II so as to delay the closing of the starting motor switch circuit until all movement oi? the engine has ceased so as to avoid any possibility o1 jamming or gear clashing when the starting motor is cut in. By making and breaking the generator circuit as a result of variation in vacuum I am enabled, when the engine is running normally, to advantageously deliver all the current produced by the generator 43 to the battery B and ignition. Should there be even a slight diminution in vacuum while the engine is running, the generator circuit will be closed and the starting motor circuit will be positively broken by the movement of the armature I3 under the influence of energized magnet I2 and thereby introduce an additional factor of prevention against the closing of the starting motor circuit in the event the vacuum, should further decrease during running of the engine sui'licient to cause the band 23 to engage the contacts 33 and 31. and arrangement heretofore described is also advantageous in that it avoids the employment of a latch, as exemplified in my prior Patent 1,952,667, to maintain the generator circuit closed and the starting motor circuit open when the vacuum fails to an extent which would otherwise close the starting motor circuit.

It will of course be apparent that my system is automatically operative to cut the starting motor in and out upon closing the switch 39 or upon stalling of the engine when said switch is closed. It will also be apparent that the installation of my system is rendered exceedingly simple and economical as it only requires the assembly shown in Figure l and a minimum of parts and wiring in addition to the parts and wiring common to all automobiles.

While I have shown and described the vacuum on one side of the engine as the instrumentality for creating a diierential pressure on the switch body 2t to move the latter it will be apparent that other instrumentalities common to automobile engines and automobiles, such as exhaust gas pressure, oil pressure and air pressure associated with a braking system could be employed r Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

l. In a starting motor control system for automobile engines, a battery, a starting motor, a main circuit switch, a magnetic starting motor switch including a coil and an armature, a generator, a circuit having the generator as its source and including the coil of the second magnetic switch, a circuit including the main switch, the armature of the second magnetic switch and the coil of the starting motor switch, a two-movement control switch automatically operating in response to the functional status oi' the engine to open and close said circuits', said control switch during one of its movements opening the first mentioned circuit after it has opened the second mentioned circuit and during the other of its movements closing the first mentioned circuit in advance of closing the second mentioned circuit, a circuit including the starting motor and the armature of the starting motor switch, and a circuit connecting the generator and battery.

2. In a starting control system for automobile The construction engines, a battery, a starting motor, a main circuit switch, a magnetic starting motor switch including a coil and armature, a second magnetic switch incuding a coil and armature, a generator, a circuit having the generator as its source and including the coil of the second magnetic switch, a circuit including the main circuit switch, the armature of the second magnetic switch and the coil of the starting motor switch, a control switch automatically operating in response to the functional status of the engine to open and close the circuits which respectively include the coil of the second magnetic switch and the coil of the starting motor switch, means for varying the rapidity of the movement of the control switch to circuit closing position, and Ia circuit including the starting motor and the armature of the starting motor switch.

3. In a starting control system for automobile engines, a battery, a starting motor, a main circuit switch, a magnetic starting motor switch including a coil and armature, a second magnetic switch including a coil and armature, a generator, a circuit having the generator .as its source and including the coil of the second magnetic switch, a circuit including the main circuit switch, the armature of the second magnetic switch and the coil of the starting motor switch, a member movable in response to the functional status of the engine and having bridge contacts thereon operating to open and close said circuits respectively, the bridge contact which opens and closes the circuit having the generator as its source being of greater extent in the direction of the movement of the member than the bridge contact which opens and closes the circuit including the coil of the starting motor switch, a circuit including the start- 5 ing motor and the armature of the starting motor switch, and a circuit connecting the generator and battery.

4. In a starting control system for automobile engines, a battery, a starting motor, a main circuit switch, a magnetic starting motor switch including a coil and armature, a second magnetic switch including a coil and armature, a generator, a circuit having the generator as its source and including the coil of the second magnetic switch, a circuit including the main circuit switch, the armature of the second magnetic switch and the coil of the starting motor switch, an axially reciprocating member movable in response to the functional status of the engine and having bridge contacts thereon operating to open land close circuits respectively, the bridge contact which opens and closes the circuit having the generator as its source being of greater extentv in the direction of the axial movement of the member than the bridge contact which opens and closes the circuit including the coil of the starting motor switch, a circuit including the starting motor and the armature of the starting motor switch and a circuit connecting the generator and battery.

JOHN P. GERAGHTY.- 

